This invention relates generally to the field of reducible support structures. Specifically, it relates to reducible support structures used with various stands which may be especially applicable to bicycle items, music items, illumination items, and particularly, to microphone stands. More specifically, the invention may relate to a reducible tripod base that may be easily collapsed and expanded using an off-axis relationship.
Collapsible stand devices have historically taken many forms dependent upon, generally, the user having to place their hand on the device where the user""s hand may get trapped or pinched as the device may be being collapsed or opened. Traditional forms of collapsible stands and support systems may have incorporated many fields, such as tripods and easels, or the like.
One particular field in which reducible support structures may be widely employed may be the music industry. Particularly, the use of stands with musical instruments, loudspeakers, printed music, or the like, may have required various forms of reducible support structures. More specifically, the use of a microphone stands may have required various forms of reducible support structures.
While it is know in the art to have collapsible stands and support systems, there may be a need for a design that enables a user easy operation of a collapsible support system, parts of which may be easily and quickly brought into their reduced or expanded state with few steps and shielding the operator""s hands and fingers away from moving parts.
With prior known constructions, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,266, issued to Hutten and U.S. Pat. No. 2,709,560, issued to Resk, each hereby incorporated by reference, the user""s hands and fingers may be engaged within the movable parts during the collapsing or opening of the structure. As such, the user may have their fingers and hands caught in the device causing them to be pinched. Therefore, there may be a need for a collapsible support structure that shields the user""s extremities, including hands and fingers, from the moving parts of the structure.
There may also be a need for a reducible support system that provides for a compact and low profile system that may be desired to allow for a more transportable and easily stored system. Particularly, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,745,845, issued to Ebbecke, hereby incorporated by reference, the legs of the device may not be secured when the stand may be closed. Thus, when the stand is being relocated, carried and/or stored, the legs may open causing the stand to extend or be in a partially extended state. The user carrying such stand may be inconvenienced by the moving parts and when stored, the device may be bulky and take up more space than needed. Therefore, there may be a need for a reducible support structure that fully secures the legs in place to provide safe transportation of the item and compactness for storage.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,244, issued to Prokop, U.S. Pat. No. 2,613,901, issued to Tatar, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,269, issued to Franssen et al., each hereby incorporated by reference, teach, from various fields, reducible support systems. These systems, however, may be directed to reducible support systems which when collapsed or closed may not change the height or length of the structure or do not provide the user appropriate safety in operation. These systems, therefore, may not provide the desired characteristics including that of safety and a compact or low profile system identified in particular embodiments of the present invention.
The reducible support structures referenced above may lack a desired quickness and simplicity in its operation. Previous attempts may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,839 issued to Gibran and U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,705 issued to Gibran et al., each hereby incorporated by reference, wherein tripod structures are disclosed. From one perspective, these support systems may fail, generally, to provide appropriately simplistic assembly of the support structures. Particularly, support systems such as those heretofore identified may illustrate a collapsible support structure potentially requiring the adjustment of multiple elements within the support system to achieve a fully opened or collapsed structure. Thus there is a need for a support structure which appropriately balances the needs of the user and that is practical in operation.
Embodiments of the present invention may provide for reducible support systems that may address the inadequacies of previous techniques. The invention may comprise, according to particular embodiments, a reducible support structure and methods of supporting an item whereby the transporting and storing of the structure in different applications may be more easily accomplished. The invention may comprise, in preferred embodiments, a reducible support structure and methods of supporting an item whereby the structure may be opened and collapsed simplistically and with ease, while remaining sufficiently low-profile and compact. Further the invention may even provide a user-friendly structure that shields the user from any pinching during the reduction or expansion of a reducible support structure. In addition, the present invention may comprise embodiments particularly directed at applications such as bicycle stands, bicycle items, music items, illumination items, music instrument stands, work light stands, and microphone stands, among other applications. Embodiments of the present invention, therefore, may even be considered as a development away from previous efforts of reducible support systems, both generally and as more particularly described below.
It is accordingly one of the goals of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for shielding a reducible support structure where a user may not be pinched and thus provide a shielded slide that allows easy simple movement when reducing the support structure.
Another goal may be to provide a reducible support structure that when fully reduced may be able to be stored in a minimum amount of space and also locks so that when transporting and storing the structure, it does not expand. It is accordingly a goal to provide a locking reducible support structure.
In addition, a goal of the present invention may be to provide a user-friendly structure in which a reducible support structure may be quickly set up and quickly reduced or collapsed.
Other objects of the invention are disclosed throughout other areas of the specification and claims. In addition, the goals and objectives may apply either in dependent or independent fashion to a variety of other goals and objectives in a variety of embodiments.